Git vs Terraform: What are the differences?

Introduction

Git and Terraform are both popular tools used in software development and infrastructure management. However, they serve different purposes and have distinct features. Below are the key differences between Git and Terraform that highlight their unique functionalities.

1. Version Control vs. Infrastructure as Code: Git is primarily a distributed version control system (VCS) that tracks changes to files and allows multiple contributors to work on a project simultaneously. It is used to manage source code and keep track of modifications made by different team members over time. On the other hand, Terraform is an infrastructure as code (IaC) tool that enables the provisioning, management, and versioning of infrastructure resources. It defines infrastructure configurations using declarative code, allowing for automated provisioning and modification of resources.

2. Code Repository vs. Configuration Management: Git provides a platform for hosting code repositories, allowing developers to collaborate, review, and manage code history. It provides features like branching, merging, and pull requests to streamline the development workflow. In contrast, Terraform focuses on managing and automating the configuration of infrastructure resources, such as virtual machines, networks, and storage. It helps streamline the infrastructure management process by providing features like resource provisioning, change tracking, and infrastructure drift detection.

3. Branching and Merging vs. Resource Orchestration: Git offers powerful branching and merging capabilities that allow for parallel development, experimentation, and collaboration. Developers can create branches to work on specific features or bug fixes, and later merge their changes back into the main codebase. In contrast, Terraform focuses on orchestrating and provisioning infrastructure resources across different cloud providers or on-premises environments. It ensures that the desired state of infrastructure resources specified in Terraform code is achieved, making it easier to manage complex infrastructure configurations.

4. Source Code Management vs. Infrastructure Lifecycle Management: Git is widely used for managing source code and ensuring consistency and version control across different development environments. It helps track changes, revert to previous versions, and collaborate effectively with other developers. In comparison, Terraform is designed to manage the entire lifecycle of infrastructure resources from creation to modification and destruction. It provides a streamlined process for managing infrastructure changes and ensuring reproducibility across various environments.

5. Developer-centric vs. Infrastructure-focused: Git is mainly used by developers and software engineering teams to manage code repositories, collaborate on projects, and track changes. Its features and workflows are designed to cater to the specific needs of developers during the software development lifecycle. In contrast, Terraform is primarily used by DevOps and infrastructure teams to define, provision, and manage infrastructure resources. It focuses on automating infrastructure orchestration and reducing manual intervention in managing complex infrastructure configurations.

6. Supports Multiple Programming Languages vs. Infrastructure Abstraction: Git supports a wide range of programming languages and can be used with any type of source code. It is language-agnostic and can handle repositories containing code written in different programming languages. Conversely, Terraform is language-agnostic for defining infrastructure as code and is agnostic to the specific cloud provider or infrastructure technology being used. It provides a level of abstraction that allows for consistent configuration of infrastructure resources across different platforms.

In summary, Git is a version control system primarily used for managing code repositories and enabling collaboration among developers, while Terraform is an infrastructure as code tool focused on automating infrastructure provisioning and configuration management.